The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida • Page 60

mm If Mtf MM tiyi yj, -v 4 flits THE PALM BEACH POST SUNDAY, JUNE 30. 1996 90 Olympics Kicks Across The Hudson OLYMPICS 6 Champion 'cover up' is averted 1 To avoid the flag-draping shenanigans ala the Nike-endorsed USA basketball players like Michael Jordan that some Olympians used to obscure the Reebok logo stitched into their official uniforms at the Barcelona Games, the team's official-endorser Champion devised a plan: Before donning the official I "IT IT I I The epicenter of soccer in the United States? Try a small town in North Jersey. By BRIAN BIGGANE Palm Beach Post Staff Writer KEARNY, N.J. This town of about 35,000 sits 15 minutes from New York City and 10 from the Meadowlands Sports Complex. But soccer fans need no such reference points; this is the historical center of soccer in the United States.

It began with factory teams in the late 1800s and lives on with Tony Meola, John Harkes and Tab Ramos, three products of the Kearny youth program who started for the U.S. National Team in the 1994 World Cup. "If you play for Kearny, it's an honor to put on the shirt," said Rui Cunha, a senior at Kearny High School this past season. "A lot of famous players came out of here." By last count, Kearny and neighboring Harrison and East Newark known as the West Hudson area have produced nine Olympic soccer players as well as Archie Stark, who was named the outstanding player of the half-century (1900-50) by a panel of sports writers. "A lot of the youth programs that have sprung up in New Jersey and Pennsylvania have modeled themselves after Kearny," Kearny High School Athletic Director Jim Cefelli said.

"At one time we had 102 soccer teams and 36,000 people involved, at all age groups. It's been here for so many years." The sport is so pervasive in the community that when Meola, the goalkeeper for the U.S. in both the 1990 and '94 World Cups, was drafted by the New York Yankees coming out of high school, he chose soccer instead. "Think of the average American kid growing up in any other community," Cefelli said. "To be drafted by the New York Yankees? Come on? But because he's from Kearny.

Because he's from Kearny, he knows the history of the place, and for that Charlie Waller and George Rogers are owed a debt of gratitude. Waller, 81, and Rogers, 76, grew up playing soccer in Kearny and over the years have become keepers of the area's remarkable story, which will be on display in an exhibit at the town library through mid-August. The tradition began with a wave of immigrants from Scotland and Ireland in the late 1800s. Attracted to the area by the promise of jobs at factories like the Clark Thread Company and Marshall's Linen, the immigrants brought the game with them, playing first among themselves and then for company teams. "Sundays were for soccer," Rogers said.

"Churches had everybody until 12 o'clock, but after A ff0Lfi iti 1 1- i' iy-zr tar Goalkeeper Tony Meola (with flag) led the U.S. to a 2-1 win over the 1994 World Cup. Meola grew up in Kearny, N.J., which, along East Newark, has produced nine Olympic soccer players. Kearny Olympians NEW JERSEY JI L. I YORK New Newark I.

l-Yotk Jersey S' I city 6 Staten Island 'Area PENN. rjof Philadelphia detail Atlantic Ocean 5 miles STEVE MADDENStaff Artist When Coggin retired in 1960, his former players gave him a testimonial dinner, which became the genesis of the Kearny-Soccer Alumni Association. For the past 36 years, that group has awarded the Coggin Trophy tor the top scholastic player in state of New Jersey. As immigration patterns changed, so did the makeup the Kearny population. After; World War Scottish and Irish immigrants were replaced by those from Italy, Spain and Porv tugal.

What didn't change were the soccer roots. "All our parents were born in Europe," said John Millar, soccer-coach at Kearny High for the past-24 years. "And when that's where you're born, your first inclination is to push your kids, into soccer." Kearny's best run during Millar's coaching term was 1981-84. After reaching the state finals the first three years, Kearny went undefeated and won the state title in 1984 with Harkes as a senior midfielder and Meola a freshman goalkeeper. "We had a lot of Division I players that year," Millar said, reeling off the names of five starters who earned college scholarships.

But the oldtimers worry if it all starting to change. Competition from other sports has left Kearny with only one full-time soccer field in the spring and summer. The immigration tide has ebbed, spawning second- and third-generation Americans who no longer have the passion for soccer their parents did. Industry has moved, taking jobs with it. "You can't blame the kids, but they see the world now and they're gone," Millar said.

But Millar still spreads the; soccer gospel, and Waller and Rogers are still around to preserve it. "I think it might fade, but I don't think it'll fade away," Cefelli said, "because the history of soccer kind of goes hand in hand with the history of Kearny. "The traditions that are here, the closeness of the people who stay, that passes on. There's still all these ties around, and you kind of can't get the Kearny out of the person." OB Olympic soccer tickets go on sale Tickets for 11 men's and women's Olympic soccer-games next month at the Or-" ange Bowl in Miami are on sale through Ticketmaster. Six men's and three worn- en's first-round games will be played July 20-25, and two' men's quarterfinal games are set for July 26 and 27.

Among teams featured are the Brazil men's team, which will play at least three games in Miami, and the U.S; women's team, which will. face China on July 25. Tickets cost from $25 to, $75 and can be ordered; through Ticketmaster at-(561) 966-3309. Tickets also are available at Striker Soccer 4268 Northlake in Palm Beach Gardens. Striker Soccer is organizing a bus trip for games July 25.

For informa-. tion, call (561) 622-7432. BRIAN BIGGANE. Olympic tuneup meet in the United States. Kristine Quance, a medal hopeful for the United States in the women's 100 breast stroke and the 200 individual medley in the Atlanta 'Games, won both of those events.

(Results, 15C) Clty ALLSPORT Colombia in the first round of with neighboring Harrison and have represented the United past 72 years: William Shappell 1952 Gene Grabowski 1960 Santiago Formoso 1976 John Harkes 1988 1928 Olympian. Kearny High School fielded its first team in 1922 and won its first state title in 1924. From 1935-60 the team was coached by Fred Coggin, who won 20 state championships and compiled a record of 332-30-27. I outfit of the U.S. Olympic Team, athletes must sign a document promising not to hide, alter or cover the official Champion logo.

USOC spokesman Mike Moran expects no repeat of the Jordan subterfuge. "An athlete would have to be incredibly greedy and insensitive to the rest of the team to do this," Moran said. Mountain bike racing Don Myrah of Saratoga, overcame fatigue and a racing standout to earn the final spot on the U.S. Olympic mountain bike racing team Saturday in Bellaire, Mich. Myrah, 30, finished the race at Schuss Mountain Resort in 10th place, earning enough points to pass former world champion Ned Overend, who finished 17th.

Also, Susan DeMattei of Gunnison, earned the second berth on the women's team. Equestrian warmup Americans Bruce Davidson and David O'Connor took top honors in the North Georgia International Open, a preparatory competition for the Olympics in Chatsworth, and the final outing for the U.S. team. Davidson, of Unionville, riding Heyday, posted a dressage score of 44.4 and a total first day score of 44.65. O'Connor, of The Plains, with Custom Made, had the best dressage score, 43.2, and a total score of 44.70.

Beach volleyball upset Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes were upset in the winner's bracket semifinals by third seeds Scott Ayakatubby and Brian Lewis at the AVP West Michigan Open. Mike Dodd and Mike Whit-marsh won both their matches and will meet Ayakatubby and Lewis in the winner's bracket final of the Olympic warmup today. Italy's shutout Three Italian-American baseball players hoping for a spot on the Italian Olympic baseball team received an ancestral snub they think. Although they were not notified officially, a headline in Italy's sports newspaper proclaimed, "Baseball The Case is Closed," and said the Italian players had made enough of a stink to bar the dual citizens from their basepaths. Pitchers Todd Incantalupo (Providence College), Jason Grillo (Seton Hall) and Ryan La Mattina (St.

Bonaventure) traced their Olympic dreams and ancestral ties back to Italy. The Italian team even recruited the Americans after discovering their heritage classified them as dual citizens. But, when the Italian players found out, they threatened to boycott the team if the Italian-Americans made the squad. "The Italian newspapers made it sound like all the players didn't want us there," Incantalupo said. "(The Italian players) said they would strike, and the coach said he would quit if he was forced to keep us." Then after days of ostracism and neglect, the Americans read La Gazzetta dello Sport's announcement.

It was news to them. "I'm smart enough to know I'm not getting a phone call. And even if they did call me now, I wouldn't play for them now," Incantalupo said. Compiled by Derrick Goold and Charles Elmore Coming up Today: Conclusion of U.S. Gymnastic Olympic Trials, Boston.

Today-Monday: USA Gymnastics National Congress. Boston. Monday-July 12: Team Handball. Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta. Nine players from Kearny, N.J., States in Olympic soccer over the James Douglas 1924 James Rhody 1924 James Gallager 1928 John Duffy 1928 Fred Shields 1936 Kearny was consistently represented on U.S.

teams in international competition. James Douglas from nearby West Hudson was the goalkeeper on both the first U.S. Olympic (1924) and World Cup (1930) teams, and Kearny's James Gallagher was a that, everybody headed for the soccer fields." Recognizing the popularity of the game, companies began building soccer fields as a means of attracting and keeping employees. The best was Clark's field, built 3 feet above the ground with ashes from the boilers in the thread company. The game continued to flourish.

And when soccer's international governing body, FIFA, recognized what later became the U.S. Soccer Federation in 1913, it was the Kearny Rangers who first carried the American standard abroad, beating a team from Canada 3-2. 15C Team should disqualify; swimmer, alternate says Gymnasts fall, literally, into place for Games The Associated Press BOSTON Spills, skids and face plants not exactly a promising start for the men's Olympic gymnastics team. John Roethlisberger scored a 9.375 in the vault, his final event, to seal first place and a spot on his second Olympic squad Saturday. The usually low-key Roethlisberger jumped into the arms of his father and coach, Fred Roethlisberger, and grinned as he ran off the platform.

Results The Associated Press NEWARK, N.J. Former Olympic swimmer Ron Karnaugh is asking the U.S. Olympic Committee to disqualify a swimmer from the Olympic team, claiming he violated their code of conduct, according to a published report. If Greg Burgess were to be disqualified from the Olympic team, Karnaugh would take his place at the Games as an alternate, according to the Star-Ledger of Newark. Karnaugh's complaint said Burgess violated the newly revised code of conduct for U.S.

Olympic athletes when he was arrested March 23 in Neptune Beach and charged with drinking in public and providing alcohol to people under 21. Burgess pleaded no contest to the charges and paid $150 in fines, the newspaper reported Saturday. USOC Executive Director Richard Schultz was scheduled to review the matter by Monday, according to a fax the USOC sent to Karnaugh. More swimming: Olympic teammates Jenny Thompson and Jeff Rouse took their usual position atop the winner's stand after the Santa Clara (Calif.) Internationa meet. Thompson won the women's 200-meter freestyle, her third victory in less than 24 hours, and Rouse won the men's 100 backstroke.

The foUr-day event, which ends today, is the final major pre- Roethlisberger, who started the night with a 1.2-point lead, finished with 228.873 points. Blaine Wilson was second with 228.159. The remaining five members of the Olympic team Mihai Bagiu, Jair Lynch, John Macready, Kip Simons and Chainey Umphrey fell into place literally. There were 15 spills throughout the night, as well as countless bobbles and hops. Olympic coach Peter Kormann said he wouldn't make too much out of the mishaps.

The men fared even worse in last year's World Championship trials, then finished third in the compulsories, he said. "When I competed in the Olympic trials, I did horribly. And when I competed in the Olympics, I hit every routine," said Kormann, whose bronze in the floor exercise in 1976 was the first medal by an American man since 1932. Bagiu, the first competitor, set the tone for the night when he stepped out of bounds on his first tumbling pass in the floor exercise, good for a .10 deduction. He also skidded on an aerial tumbling pass and took a big hop on his dismount, earning an 8.725.

The vorst came from Lynch, who finishfed sixth despite two face plants off the high bar within 30 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Kip Simons hits the vault during the optional portion of Olympic trials. He made the team. seconds. Lynch, the youngest member of the 1992 squad at 20, lost his grip on a release move midway through his routine, dropping to his hands and knees. He got back up, but as he sailed over the bar on his next release move, he missed and plummeted to the floor, falling flat on his chest.

After finally finishing the routine, he ripped off his wrist guards in disgust. He scored an 8.1, the lowest mark of the night, and dropped from fourth to seventh. Even Roethlisberger, who usually makes few mistakes, had trouble. He put too much into his last tumbling pass on the floor exercise, pitched forward and had to throw in an extra somersault. That earned him a 9.125, his lowest score of the competition.

"I could taste the end of the meet and I could taste the spot on the Olympic team, and I guess I was a little anxious," Roethlisberger said. 66 think they trill lrtnk ivrv regal. BOB CTVRTLIK. Men's volleyball captain on the flashy red, white and blue Olympic-uniforms..